Brake-beam.



No. 649,89l. Patented May I5, 1900. J. M. HANSEN.

BRAKE BEAM.

(Application filed Feb. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m: noams Farms :0, PHoTo-uma, WASHXNOTON. a. c.

PATEN rules.

JOHN M. HANSEN, OF BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRESSED STEELCAR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,891, dated May 15,1900. Application filed February 9, 1900. Serial No. 4 634:. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bellevue, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and use ful Improvement inBrake-Beams, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de-'scription.

This invention relates to metal brake-beams which have their tension andcompression members and strut made of a single integral piece. Such abrake-beam is illustrated in Patent No. 522,032, granted to Charles T.Schoen June 26, 1894, and the present invention is in the nature of animprovement upon the invention of that patent.

The improvement consists in a pressedsteel brake-beam having a lateralflange at each edge and a central portion having parallel sides next thelever fulcrum-post, so as to permit of the application of the saidfulcrum-post on the tension-flange, and thus more effectively to utilizethe strength of the beam; and the invention also consists in abrakeloeam composed of integral tension,compression, and strut membershaving a fixed camber, a lever fulcrum-post on the tension member, andbrake-head ends provided with thimbles, all as I will proceed now moreparticularly to set forth and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a topplan view showing the preferred form of the improvement. Fig. 2 is aside elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the brake-head inposition. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken in the plane of the line 4 4:,Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section substantially in the plane ofline 5 5 of Fig. 3.

a is the tension member, and b the compression member, and these twomembers are united by and are integral with the strut memher 0. Thethree members a, b, and c, in the preferred construction of myinvention, are formed from a single integral piece of metal, preferablysteel plate, pressed to shape. The members 0, and b are, mechanically,flanges made at right angles to the strut c and pro jecting only fromone and the same side there of. As shown in Fig. 1 especially, theseintegral parts are made with a central portion the sides of which areparallel, and thence the parts taper on each side toward the ends inconvergent lines and terminate at their narrowest portions in parallelportions. The strut member 0' has the cut-out portions d in outlineconforming to the taper of the tapered portions of the beam.

The post to which the brake-lever is fulcrumed is designated generallyby the letter e and in its preferred construction is a casting havingparallel ears 6', set at the proper angle and provided with holes 6' forthe reception of the pivot-pin, and having a base 6 by means of whichthe post may be secured, as by rivets f, to the tension member a. Thebase 6 is constructed with a lateral lug e, which laps over on the strutmember 0 and is secured thereto, as by a rivet 0 g is the center hanger,of any approved construction.

Interposed between the parallel-sided ends are thimbles it, throughwhich the bolts 1 used for attaching the brake-heads 7c, are passed, andthese thimbles serve to reinforce the ends of the brake-beam and enablethem to resist the strains of use.

It may be necessary in some instances to provide a depression l in thebase of the post to enable the brake-lever to swing clear of said base.

In the interests of economy and saving of weight the ears 6 may berecessed at m.

The provision of the parallel-sided central portion not only affords anextended base of support for the lever fulcrum-post, but also presentsan extended mass of metal the more effectually to resist the strains towhich the beam is subjected. The cutting out of the portions cl in thestrut member decreases the dead-weight of the beam and also increasesthe arch-like functions of the structure.

It will be observed that the camber of the beam is set in manufactureand is not subject to alteration by the exigencies of service and cannotbe tampered with.

The arrangement of the lever fulcrum-post on the tension member insteadof on the strut member a, as in the patent referred to, fully utilizesthe capacity of the tension memher as such.

Ioo

casting, as already stated, is most, serviceable 1 when made ofmalleable cast metal. Being riveted to the tension member, it naturallystrengthens the beam at a vital point, and being also riveted to thestrut it provides for more central application of the strain to the Thisbeing the case, it is likely that in case of acoident the less expensivepost would be the lever than in the patent. referred to.

first to break, and thus the more expensive beam might escape injury andbe in condition to receive readily a new post at small cost.

What I claim is- 1. A pressed-steel brake-beam, having a strut memberprovided with edge flanges projecting laterally therefrom in onedirection only and constituting integral tension and compressionmembers, the central and end portions of the flanges being parallel andthe intervening portions converging from the central toward the endportions, and a lever fulcru'm-post having a base applied to the tensionmember and a lateral lug applied to the strut member, substantially asdescribed 2. A pressed-steel brake-beam, made of a single piece ofmetal, having a strut member, and side flanges projecting from one sideonly of the strut member and constituting tension and compressionmembers, the central and end portions of the flanges being parallel andthe intervening portions converging from the central toward the endportions, the strut having tapering openings next the central portionextending longitudinally of the beam, and a lever fulcrum-post appliedto the tension member, substantially as described.

3. A pressed-steel brake-beam, having a strut member provided with edgeflanges projecting laterally therefrom in one direction only andconstituting integral tension and compression members,the camber beingfixed, the central and end portions of the flanges being parallel andthe intervening portions converging from the center toward the ends, alever fulcrum-post having a base applied to the tension member and alateral lug applied to the strut member, and thimbles arranged betweenthe parallel end portions'where the brake-heads are applied,substantially as 'described.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day ofFebruary, AD. 1900.

JOHN M. HANSEN.

WVitnesses:

WV. D. GEORGE, O. E. PosTLErHWArrn

